diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b856f84e28c9..44921d9cf3cf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1098,16 +1098,14 @@ vmlinux-deps := $(KBUILD_LDS) $(KBUILD_VMLINUX_OBJS) $(KBUILD_VMLINUX_LIBS)
 # Recurse until adjust_autoksyms.sh is satisfied
 PHONY += autoksyms_recursive
 ifdef CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
-autoksyms_recursive: descend modules.order
-	$(Q)$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/adjust_autoksyms.sh \
-	  "$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/Makefile vmlinux"
-endif
-
 # For the kernel to actually contain only the needed exported symbols,
 # we have to build modules as well to determine what those symbols are.
 # (this can be evaluated only once include/config/auto.conf has been included)
-ifdef CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS
-  KBUILD_MODULES := 1
+KBUILD_MODULES := 1
+
+autoksyms_recursive: descend modules.order
+	$(Q)$(CONFIG_SHELL) $(srctree)/scripts/adjust_autoksyms.sh \
+	  "$(MAKE) -f $(srctree)/Makefile vmlinux"
 endif
 
 autoksyms_h := $(if $(CONFIG_TRIM_UNUSED_KSYMS), include/generated/autoksyms.h)